Hare Krishna Temple gets vandalized; 2 men arrested

Published: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 8:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 8:25 p.m.

Two men went into the Hare Krishna Temple in Alachua while a service was going on Saturday morning and began throwing bleach around the temple, saying it was unclean, according to a report.

The men also broke vases, destroyed books and defecated on the floor of the restroom among other damage, the report stated.

Melshizedek Reyes, 25, of Volusia County, and Peter Bergman, 54, no address given, went into the temple at 17305 NW 112th Blvd. around 7 a.m. during a prayer service.

They later told Alachua County Sheriff's deputies that they found the facility to be unclean and that they were cleaning it, according to a report.

The two men threw bleach around the temple and into a decorative fountain in front of the building. They also knocked over shelves holding shoes, and broke vases. They took books from the temple and threw them into the fountain, which was tainted with bleach, destroying the volumes.

Deputies said the men then went into the restroom and defecated on the floor and clogged the toilets.

When a deputy arrived, the men refused to give any identification and said they were not going to speak with the deputy.

Each man was carrying a bag - a backpack and a grocery bag - and they refused to let the deputy see what was inside of them.

As Reyes tried to walk away, the deputy forced him to the floor in a seated position, handcuffed, while he took away the backpack.

Reyes started to roll on the floor in an attempt to get up and run away while the deputy was trying to get the grocery bag from Bergman.

Reyes got up and ran off about 40 yards, then turned, lowered his head and charged at the deputy, who shot him with a Taser.

Other deputies arrived and helped subdue Reyes, who had to be carried to the patrol cruiser after refusing to walk.

Reyes was charged with damage to property/criminal mischief; resisting arrest; and disturbing the peace/religious facility. He was being held at the Alachua County jail without bond.

<p>Two men went into the Hare Krishna Temple in Alachua while a service was going on Saturday morning and began throwing bleach around the temple, saying it was unclean, according to a report.</p><p>The men also broke vases, destroyed books and defecated on the floor of the restroom among other damage, the report stated.</p><p>Melshizedek Reyes, 25, of Volusia County, and Peter Bergman, 54, no address given, went into the temple at 17305 NW 112th Blvd. around 7 a.m. during a prayer service.</p><p>They later told Alachua County Sheriff's deputies that they found the facility to be unclean and that they were cleaning it, according to a report.</p><p>The two men threw bleach around the temple and into a decorative fountain in front of the building. They also knocked over shelves holding shoes, and broke vases. They took books from the temple and threw them into the fountain, which was tainted with bleach, destroying the volumes.</p><p>Deputies said the men then went into the restroom and defecated on the floor and clogged the toilets.</p><p>When a deputy arrived, the men refused to give any identification and said they were not going to speak with the deputy.</p><p>Each man was carrying a bag - a backpack and a grocery bag - and they refused to let the deputy see what was inside of them.</p><p>As Reyes tried to walk away, the deputy forced him to the floor in a seated position, handcuffed, while he took away the backpack.</p><p>Reyes started to roll on the floor in an attempt to get up and run away while the deputy was trying to get the grocery bag from Bergman.</p><p>Reyes got up and ran off about 40 yards, then turned, lowered his head and charged at the deputy, who shot him with a Taser.</p><p>Other deputies arrived and helped subdue Reyes, who had to be carried to the patrol cruiser after refusing to walk.</p><p>Reyes was charged with damage to property/criminal mischief; resisting arrest; and disturbing the peace/religious facility. He was being held at the Alachua County jail without bond.</p><p>The jail had no information on Bergman.</p>